Tia Mowry is getting all the way real about how her dating life has panned out since her divorce from ex-hubby Cory Hardrict—and unfortunately, pissing off some folks in the process.
To help jog your memory, after 14 years of marriage, the two announced their shocking split back in October 2022. Their divorce was finalized earlier this year with the couple deciding to share legal and physical custody of their two children, son Cree, 11, and daughter Cairo, 5. They also agreed that they wouldn’t introduce their children to anyone that either one of them is dating until the six month mark.
However, introducing a new beau to her kids might be somewhat of a long shot for Mowry who has recently been open about the challenges of opening herself up and dating in 2023. Calling it “exhausting,” and opening up about how she feels men courting women is lacking nowadays, she also often opts to make light of the situation by posting a handful of relatable TikToks. But it was her post to Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter,) over the weekend that got everyone talking.
“Just because the dating life is complicated. Doesn’t mean I’m going to go back to something that no longer served me,” Mowry wrote. “That’s like saying if I don’t book an audition our a part right away I’m going to give up on my dreams as an actor. Please just stop. I ain’t that weak. Please move on because I have . Thank you NEXT.[sic]”
In her post to Instagram, she prefaced the same message with: “A word from ME since narratives are being made without my consent. Hear it here and ONLY here.” This was in response to internet rumors that she might be rekindling her romance with her ex.
In followup tweets, the Sister, Sister star added, “I’m no longer allowing the lies and BLOGS creating false information. I create the narrative NOT you for click bait. If you don’t hear it from me. It’s all LIES. Ps. I only share with the world what I WANT you to see. I guess some still think the world is flat. Go figure.”
While you’d think Mowry’s transparency would be embraced by most—especially seeing as how challenges in dating and not settling in relationships appear to be universal truths—some took issue with the Family Reunion actress’s feelings. Why? Well it’s because some people felt as though she should’ve stayed married if she didn’t want to deal with dating issues and that unhappiness in a marriage shouldn’t be reason alone enough to “break up a family.”
“Tia Mowry said her marriage was successful, but it ended because she had evolved. She spoke about divorce being a ‘graduation’ not a failure, that success in a marriage is not about longevity but if two people are happy together. This is the most dumbest shit I’ve ever heard in my life,” wrote one user in a viral tweet.
And while Mowry took the time to further clap back at folks trying to tell her about herself, others took to social media to also come to her defense and call out the hypocrisy:
“It’s so strange how ppl don’t like Tia Mowry anymore simply because she got a divorce. The hatred for women having autonomy knows no bounds,” wrote one user.
“Tia Mowry saying dating since her divorce has been exhausting & being met with ‘that’s why you shoulda stayed married’ is exactly why so many people in relationships are COMPLETELY MISERABLE! Like?,” said another.
Said another user, “I always knew y’all hated women but I still can’t believe Tia Mowry having an amicable divorce made people...dislike her? Do you hear yourselves??? It sounds so baffling to the people who have sense.”
Baffling is putting it nicely, if I’m being honest. The fact that some people can’t fathom a woman, specifically a Black woman, choosing her own happiness and personal growth over marital stagnation and unhappiness—something that could negatively impact their children if both parents aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on how to evolve, mind you—is telling. Has the bar really been set so low for Black women that we’re expected to stick around in relationships that aren’t fulfilling to us? If so, for what reason? Just to say we have a man or a marriage? To check off some imaginary societal box and keep up appearances, regardless of how many fake smiles we have to put on to make it look as such? To assuage other people’s feelings and somehow make them feel better for choosing to be stuck in a situation that no longer serves them? Hard pass.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Black women are done settling for breadcrumbs of a relationship, job, family etc. because we know we’re deserving of the whole loaf (and the bakery itself, okurrrrr). To heck with anyone who feels otherwise.